Plastic covered nonrigid winged box kite



Nov. 2,' 1954 w, E. GREEN 2,693,330

PLASTIC COVERED NONRIGID WINGED BOX-KITE Filed Nov. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl l 44 V 44 fi a; ii

Wilbur E. Green INVENTOR.

Nov. 2, 1954 V w. E. GREEN 2,693,330-

' PLASTIC COVERED NONRIGID WINGED BOX'KITE Filed Nov. 17, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 F g. 5 \"MFFN Wilbur E. Greer) IN V EN TOR.

BY and W 3 Attame s PLASTIC covEnEn NONRIG1D Wns'GED "'BOXKITE' WilburE. Green, Houston, Tex.

Application November 17, 1952, Serial No. 320,927

2 Claims. (Cl. 244-153) This invention relates to a collapsible kite andhas for its particular object the provision of a kite of the characterto be described which employs means for preventing damage to the sails,spars and sticks of the kite when subjected to stresses during operativeflying.

A further object of this invention is to provide a coladapted to embracethe sticks thus holding the sails onto the sticks reinforcing thebinding relationship between the sails and the sticks.

Another feature of the invention resides in the means for resilientlysecuring the sails to the end of the cross spar. bers or bands which areengaged between the bifurcations formed in the ends of the spar by theslots.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a kite that is strong, durable, highly eificient in flying,simple in construction and manufacture, and which is highly pleasing inappearance.

These together with the various ancillary objects of the invention whichwill become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attainedby this kite, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is front elevational view of the kite comprising the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view as taken along the plane of line2--2 of Figure 1, and being drawn in an enlarged scale for greaterclarity;

Figure .3 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line3-3 in Figure 1 showing the construction in detail of the angularlydisposed jib sails of conventional construction;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the kite comprising the presentinvention showing the relationship of the varying parts with greatestclarity;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which the sticksand the cross spar are secured to each other; and,

Figure 6 is a perspective detail showing the means used for resilientlysecuring the sails to the cross spar.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 generally designates a vertically extending stickand reference numeral 12 generally designates another stick of the samenature and character. The sticks 10 and 12 may readily be formed of woodor like material but can equally easily be constructed from any suitableplastic material such as polystyrene, or any other suitable syntheticresin. Bonded to the sticks 10 and 12 are triangular sails 14 and 16which have secured at their apexes substantially U-shaped members 18 and20 for purpose to be henceforth explained.

Bonded or otherwise secured in any convenient manner to the sticks 10and 12 are jib sails 24 and 26 which are also bonded to a verticallyextending stick 28. The triangular jib sails are of conventionalconstruction and The cross spar is slotted to receive resilient memwhichthe sails 14 and 16 are constructed. The bridle 30 is secured to thestick 28 and the line 32 may be ice readily' attached to the bridle 30at the optimum point of aerodynamic-balance.

A cross'spar 34 is provided and may readily be molded from any suitableplastic material or may, desired, be constructed from wood or a lightmetal. Substantially L-shaped clips 36 and 38 are preferably integrallymolded with the cross spar 34 and extend in opposite directions. Theclips 36 and 38 are adapted to resiliently embrace thesticks 10 and 12while also embracing the sails 14 and 16 while they surround the sticks10 and 12. This construction can be best seen in Figure 2. In thismanner of securing the cross spar to the sails, the usual stressescaused while flying will not tend to cause the cross spar 34 to tear thesails 14. Rather, the cross spar 34 will in fact reinforce the sails atthe point of contact.

The cross spar 34 is provided with slots 40 and 42 which form bifurcatedends for the cross spar 34. Resilient bands 44 are secured to theU-shaped members 18 and 29 and are adapted to be received within theslots 4t? and 42. The bands 44 thus form a resilient connection betweenthe sails 14 and 16 and the cross spar 34 to insure stability in flight.The elasticity of the resilient bands 44 provides a slackening andtightening flexibility of the wings 14 and 16 thus lessening orincreasing the wing surface resistance to various intensities of wind.

In the construction of this invention, the plastic wings 14 and 16 haveno rigid attachment except at the point where bonded to the sticks 10and 12. Thus, stability in flight is maintained in varying windintensities by the drag or pull of the flapping or fluttering featheringunreinforced edges of the plastic film wings 14 and 16. Furthermore, thereinforcing provided by the cross spar 34 is in direct opposition tothose devices which have been previously constructed. The L-shaped clips36 and 3% substantially reinforce the wings 14 and 16 at their points ofjuncture with the sticks 10 and 12 rather than oppose such juncture.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of thiscollapsible kite are readily apparent, further description is believedto be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specificationand accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention tothe precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitablemodifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A collapsible kite comprising a pair of parallel sticks, triangularsails attached to said sticks, a cross spar spacing said sticks apart,opposed substantially L- shaped clips onsaid spar, said sailssubstantially embracing said sticks, said clips embracing said sticksand embracingly engaging said sails to reinforce the attachment betweensaid sails and said sticks, means securing said sails to said sparincluding substantially U-shaped members secured to said sails, andresilient members attached to said U-shaped members, said spar havingslots in the ends thereof, said resilient members being received in saidslots to provide an adjusted wing surface resistance to variousintensities of Wind.

2. A collapsible kite comprising a pair of parallel sticks, triangularsails of film-like material bonded to said sticks, a cross spar spacingsaid sticks apart, opposed substantially L-shaped clips integrallyformed with said spar, said sails substantially embracing said sticks,said clips embracing said sticks and embracingly engaging said sails toreinforce the bond between said sails and said sticks, means securingsaid sails to said spar including substantially U-shaped members securedto said sails, and resilient members attached to said U-shaped members,said spar having slots in the ends thereof, said resilient members beingreceived in said slots to provide an adjusted wing surface resistance tovarious intensities of wind, said film-like sails having unreinforcededges to 3 4 maintain st'aBility i'n fliglitneven when subjected to theNumber Name Date various intensities of wind. 1,029,010 Gufllo June 11,1912 1,633,510 Ayling June 21, 1927 References Cited inhthe. file ofthis patent, gildgr AJug. 1;, 1 v Y v r \1 es an.

UNITED STATES PATENIYS' 0 1,908,325 De I-Iaven May 9, 1933 Number I NameDate 1,912,808 Watson June 6, 1933 607,129 Pott'er Tul'y 12,; I8982,086,361 Kaszas July 6,v 1937 1,005,810 Conyne Oct; 1.7T, 19I1 22571298 Hahn Sept; 30'; 1941

